Kenyatta Mirindi, of the UK Justice Congo Group, made an oral intervention on behalf of the Next Century Foundation in the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on the oral update of the High Commissioner on the situation of human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and on the oral update of the team of international experts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (HRC res. 51/36), under Item 10 of the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, on Thursday 30 March 2023.

Transcript of statement on the Democratic Republic of Congo:

We warmly welcome the three-year work plan in the United Nations Human Rights Council’s
resolution 51/36, addressing the current complex and tragic events in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo.
However, the Congolese people are eagerly awaiting action on Robert Garreton’s Mapping Report of
2009, commissioned by the United Nations to investigate human rights abuses and crimes against
humanity in DRC, from March 1993 to June 2003. This Report details 617 violent incidents occurring
at this time, whose perpetrators can continue to act with impunity, having never been brought to
justice.
The Report contains a plan of action for dealing with these crimes, but no action has been taken, and
the Report remains shelved by the United Nations to this day.
You will be aware of the very long history of violence and impunity in DRC, going back to colonial
times, from the fifteenth century until 1960, when DRC obtained independence from Belgium.
With a history like this, it is essential that the international community assists in bringing to justice
those modern perpetrators named in the Mapping Report, to give some peace of mind to those who
have suffered so much.
Thank you.